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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681339">A Day in the Life of a Journeyman Apprentince</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune'>karrenia_rune</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins - Dr. Seuss, Alice In Wonderland - Lewis Carroll</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:43:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,075</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22681339</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>AliceinWonderland50scenes</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Day in the Life of a Journeyman Apprentince</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and the world they inhabit and the characters who inhabit them are the original creations of<br/>
Lewis Carroll.  They are not mine and are only 'borrowed' for the purposes of the story. This can be considered a sequel to "Protect Your Melon"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>   All things considered, he'd adjusted to the land behind the looking glass quite well.</p>
<p>If there were hours during the week that he took the time to wonder about what was going on the world he had left behind; it no longer nagged at him like the frayed edge of the hem of a suit jacket.</p>
<p>Speaking of which, he still did not quite understand why his nominal master wanted the coattails of his new line of formal wear suits to hang down to one's hindquarters, or why they had to be crafted in such eye-glaring shades of eggplant purple and viridian green.  </p>
<p>It was a job and the Mad Hatter seemed very happy with getting the commission. He had even spent an entire three days whistling and buoyant like ninety-nine red balloons Bartholomew remembered seen released on a festival day back in his own world.  </p>
<p>It had been a sight to behold, a tattered dandy with pretensions to fancy dress and long-winded speeches it was nice and when the Mad Hatter was in that kind of mood he often praised his new apprentice's flourishes and dedication to hard work.</p>
<p>Bartholomew was especially proud of the hats that they had been commissioned to create for the Red and White Queens were complete. </p>
<p>In fact, he had been rather proud of the flourish he had put on the crushed velvet crush caps in plain white and red with ostrich feathers.</p>
<p>Then there were the ladies' hats with wide circular brims with a lighter shade of lilac for the bottom half and a contrasting darker shade of purple for the top half and wide delicate-looking flower as a flourish.</p>
<p>As he was putting the finishing touches on the lining of the jacket the March Hare arrived at the naturally-occurring alcove formed by a giant oak tree and a trestle table that was a much smaller and considerably cleaner step-cousin of the one used by his master and his companions for their interminable tea parties. </p>
<p>He had not even liked tea that much when he had first arrived, in fact, he had once considered suggesting that they switch to coffee just for a change of pace.<br/>
When he had brought this up that first time; once the tea-induced haze had been pierced; the looks of astonishment that had flashed across the face of the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse. </p>
<p>Then he had had to explain what coffee was and how it came to be. Once that hurdle had been crossed a heated but good-natured argument had ensued that centered around the merits of tea over coffee and then devolved around the growing and cultivating of said beverages, but had diverged into many different subjects.<br/>
He had enjoyed those arguments a great deal.</p>
<p>"Yes, what can I do for you?"  he asked the March Hare.</p>
<p>"Bart, is it?" said the March Hare.</p>
<p>Bartholomew smiled. He wondered if perhaps folks around these parts addressed each other by their titles as if were a formality or if it was a case that it was simply caused by absent-mindedness.</p>
<p>"I don't know how to work this confounded contraption and the Hatter wants it ready in time for later tonight," the March Hare opined as he jostled the assortment of metal components, multi-colored streamers, bunting and other items nestled in his furry arms with a sigh.</p>
<p>He looked at the items and realized that he recognized that one of the items was the canister, nozzle and helium tank for balloons.</p>
<p>He stepped forward and took them from the March Hare, who sighed with relief.</p>
<p>"Well, thanks for that, now come then."</p>
<p>Bart followed along and they walked away from the alcove and meandered around the tea table were they greeted by the Dormouse.</p>
<p>They waved and went toward the March Hare's house and Mad Hatter's house where he had to first help untangle the strands of ribbons and bunting and they proceeded to decorate the fence around the backyard and all around the porch. </p>
<p>At one point he said that Bart could finish up with the decorations and assembling the doohickey while he went to get the tea and scones from the kitchen.<br/>
"I've got this," Bartholomew replied. </p>
<p>He studied the tank and its various components and sat down in a porch chair to start assembling it. He had just about finished when the Mad Hatter arrived and the March Hare came back from inside the house with a full tea tray and the promised scones and other items.<br/>
"Well, that's that then."</p>
<p>"May I ask what the occasion is?" he asked.</p>
<p>"It's a surprise," the March Hare replied, reaching around one furry paw behind the back of his nape and rubbing at an itchy spot there. "Wait, I suppose for the Mad Hatter, the man owns a pocket watch. One would think that if he set the time of this party one he could..." he trailed off as he left off a little squeak as a toothy grin appeared in the air about eye-level.</p>
<p>Gradually the owner of the grin solidified in mid-air as the rest of the mercurial Cheshire Cat appeared.</p>
<p>"Good evening," the Cat greeted everyone in general. "Am I in time for the party? Hello, Bartholomew, dear boy. How are you getting on?"</p>
<p>"I, I, just fine, Sir." Bartholomew stammered. </p>
<p>"That's good to hear, I don't do much in the way of presents but I want to wish you a very happy birthday!"</p>
<p>"You spoiled the lead! exclaimed the March Hare. "Did you invite him?"</p>
<p>"No, did you?" asked the Hatter.  "Seriously, somebody ought to invent a bell for that confounded Cat."</p>
<p>"Is there a birthday cake with frosting?"</p>
<p>"Happy Birthday, Bart" the Mad Hatter offered coming forward and giving an awkward but well-meaning hug, and forget about the Cat, this is your day or night or whichever comes first, they days and night do have an unfortunate of blurring together around these parts."</p>
<p>"Uh, thank you. Thank you. Is there cake?"</p>
<p>"Yes, but let us get over the table and hope that no one has eaten all of it before we can properly celebrate!"</p>
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